Menu

Pascale Healy- Journal 4

In this chapter, Christina tells her daughter and mother that she is going on a date with Paul Presilio from her work but this does not sit well with them at all. From this statement Nonna ends up arguing with Christina yet again, which led to the topic of unmarried women. Christina believes that unmarried women are accepted in today’s society and isn’t ashamed of her status. She still thinks that she can go out and mix with men even now. Nonna’s traditional ideas contradict with Christina’s, she thinks that women who have children before marriage never marry and bring shame on the family. Nonna worries about others, especially the Italian community and what they think of her and her family. This causes her to hold back on doing things that might be seen as controversial and her family is forced to abide by these restrictions. Nonna Katia thinks that by Christina going on a date, people will gossip and she has had enough talk for her lifetime but she cannot control all of Christina’s actions since she is a grown woman. “Everyone’s opinion has always come before mine.” (p.97), Christina believes that her mother doesn’t take her opinions into consideration. Nonna tries to change the subject so that she wasn’t saying that it was only her that did not want Christina to go on the date, she stated that Josie was being neglected because she was going on a date but Christina has always cared so much for her daughter and has raised her by herself. This argument shows the unhealthy relationship between Nonna Katia and her daughter, Christina, and how they’re different opinions cause them to lose connection.